The Yom Kippur/Channukah Connection = Sukkos

יורה דעה, הלכות נדרים, הלכה ד:כח


What does Reb Nosson mean when he affirms that the kedusha of one's Channuka is determined by the degree to which he exerts himself on Yom Kippur? At first this might seem extremely outlandish and very difficult to understand. Not so! As we have just ended Sukkas, Channuka is the next chag, and this being my first post, I want to briefly explore this well known idea expressed by Reb Nosson.

And this [screaming out to Hashem] is related to a Sukkah as is related in the Torah of Rabbainu (Tannina VII) that the degree to which one exerts himself on Yom Kippur determines the kedusha that he will merit on Channuka, for Channuka is the embodiment of the Bais HaMikdash.  And, this is an aspect of the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukka after Yom Kippur, because after having worked so hard [on Yom Kippur] to ask Hashem, may He be blessed, for forgiveness we are therefore deserving of the Holiness of the Bais Hamikdash.  The Sukka is related to the idea of the dedication of the Bais HaMikdash (חנוכת הבית המקדש),because the Bais Hamikdash was also known as "Sukkas Shalem".

The Chochomim say that we go into our sukkos at this time of the year to show the goyim that we're willing to sacrifice comfort for Hashem (when pressumably it's cold during Sukkos time).  I think that Reb Nosson had a different idea as to why Sukkos is right after Yom Kippur.  As we cry out to Hashem and beg to be forgiven for our sins, He hears our pleas and immediately forgives us and takes us into His shelter.  What is this shelter?  The sukka! Reb Nosson says that the sukka is comparable to the Ananai HaKavod, the cloud that hovered over Bnei Yisroel in the midbar and watched over them.  And, the Ananai HaKavod immediately resided in the Bais HaMikdash once it was built (on the paroches).  Thus, we can see the connections between Yom Kippur and Channuka! Sukkos is a direct consequence of Yom Kippur, and the Bais Hamikdash, which is synonymous with the sukka, is at the nucleus of the nes of Channuka!